Somehow I knew this thread would start an add-on smolder smoker advertisement. My point was how to avoid buying more devices for a device that only struggles in the heat. My MES has no problem burning chips except for when the outdoor temps are above 85-90 F.
Also, I dont really mind adding chips and checking things every now and then 30-60 minutes-ish. With the electric smoker, the cord could be accidentally loosened, the breaker trip...the remote for this smoker can accidentally turn the unit off if mishandled somehow or touched the wrong way without noticing it. Keeping an eye on it, to me, just makes sense and I dont find adding chips to be some laborious duty. Pull chip pan out, handful or two of chips in, insert chip pan and rotate...I find this to be easy and simple. I'm usually dong something else around the house when smoking anyway, I'm nearby.
In the few times I've done this, I've never blown ash all over the box, in fact the thought never occurred to me which tells me I saw nothing of the sort after using the torch. The only concern I had was damaging something around the element, but further inspection showed its unlikely.
If you're happy with the results you're getting by putting chips and/or chunks in the MES chip drawer that's Great---Keep doing that.
The problem that normally arrises when using the built-in smoke generator isn't just having to bother loading it every 30 minutes or so.
The problems are the fact that it stops smoking when the heating element stops, which happens more often in the Summer, but is still a problem in other seasons.
The biggest problem is the lack of consistent smoke, such as:
No smoke when starting out. Then light smoke, Then Nice Smoke, Then Heavy Smoke,
Then Too Heavy Smoke, Then Heavy again, Then Nice Smoke, Then Light Smoke, Back to No Smoke. Then reload & start the whole cycle again.
That
"Too Heavy Smoke" can cause Bitter tasting food, even if it only happens a few times & for only short times.
The
AMNPS, when fully loaded, and properly lit can give you up to 11 hours of perfect smoke without touching it for those 11 hours.
However like I said, "If you are happy with your results, stick to whatever you are doing."
Don't fix what isn't broken.
8 years ago, after trying things like opening my door every now & then to drop the heat enough for the heating element to come on more often, and only putting 3 or 4 chips in at a time to avoid the real heavy smoke & bad taste, I was about to give up on Smoking with my first MES, but Todd invented the first AMNS just in time to save my Smoking ability. I never looked back at putting chips through that side tube, and it's been a Pleasure.
Bear
